1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to peeling capsules and dermatological peeling preparations in the form of capsules comprising a dimensionally stable capsule casing and a filling.
2. Discussion of Background Information
The epidermis is composed of different types of cells: the germ layer (stratum germinativum), the granular layer (stratum granulosum) and the horny layer (stratum corneum). In the germ layer new cells are formed by division which migrate permanently to the skin's surface. On the way there, in the granular layer, they keratinize and decay. These decayed horny cells as horny columns comprise most of the cells in the skin. The epidermis renews itself once within 28 days. Usually the dead horny cells are detached gradually unnoticed and by themselves.
On very stressed body parts, such as, e.g., hands, feet or knees, as well as in the case of very dry skin, there can be an increasing accumulation of horny scales, which are not detached by themselves and thus lead to unattractive, dull and even in part lacerated skin.
There are various ways of ridding the skin of these superfluous horny scales. On the one hand, there are various tools, such as pumice stones, washcloths or loofahs. On the other hand, it is widespread to rub the skin with loose granules, such as, e.g., sand, salt, sugar or wheat germ. Furthermore, there are cosmetic preparations, such as wash peelings, which usually contain plastic particles with an abrasive effect. In order to be able to easily remove these plastic particles from the skin again, surfactants are added to most wash peelings. However, these surfactants remove not only the plastic particles, but also endogenous lipids that are located on the skin, and thus often lead after use to a tightening and itching of the skin.
The tightening and itchy skin feeling can be avoided by adding oils or lipids to the cosmetic peeling preparation. One example of particularly regreasing peeling preparations are oil/salt mixtures.
Salt slurries in oil for use as a peeling preparation have been known to the consumer for some time (example: “Groβmutters Hausmittel, neu entdeckt,” ©2000 Reader's Digest, Verlag Das Beste GmbH, Stuttgart, Zürich, Vienna). Mixtures of this type are likewise commercially available as cosmetic finished products (example: Alessandro® Hands! Up Magic Manicure®). The fine salt particles in these mixtures over time settle to the bottom of the container and form a visible salt layer there. The mixing of the two phases can be very time-consuming and require a high expenditure of energy depending on the size of particles of the salt used. It is often not possible to achieve a uniform blending of the product, which means that the oil is used up more quickly. A virtually dry and solid salt layer is left behind on the bottom of the container, which can no longer be used.
Approaches to rectifying this situation emulsion capsules are presented in documents WO 00/04867 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,145.
Within the scope of this invention the problem of sedimentation is to be resolved, in that the salt slurry is integrated into a capsule as a single-use application.
Cosmetic capsules as a form of administration of cosmetic active substances—or only as preparation form with a unique application experience—are likewise known. They are described, for example, in documents WO 05/20940 and WO 05/20949 and referred to as emulsion capsules.
The disadvantage of emulsion capsules of this type is that the capsule casing is often smeared on the skin in large chunks in an unattractive manner.